Coin separators



Feb. 28, 1961 M. P. HAVERSTICK COIN SEPARA'I'ORS Filed Sept. 9, 1957 w M. V5 m IV A H m R m M ATT'L Un d ta es. atcii COIN SEPARATORS Merral P. Haverstick, Normandy, Mo., assignor, by mesne assignments, to National Rejectors, Inc., a corporation of Missouri Filed Sept. 9, 1957, Ser. No. 682,822

7 Claims. (Cl. 194-9) This invention relates to improvements in coin separators. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved switch and actuator usable with coin separators.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved switch and actuator usable with coin separators.

In the construction of a coin-handling device, it is customary to mount a switch adjacent a coin chute and to equip the actuator of that switch with a portion that extends into the coin chute to intercept and be moved by the coins passing through that chute. That actuator is frequently secured to a rotatable shaft of the switch, and

the engagement of a coin with the said portion of that actuator causes the said shaft to rotate and shift the con; tacts of the switch. It is desirable that the actuator be secured to the rotatable shaft in a simplebut precise way; and the present invention provides an actuator which can be readily assembled with the rotatable shaft of a switch and which will, when so assembled, be precisely positioned relative to the coin chute. It is therefore an 2,973,074 Patented Feb. 28,- 1961 2 the coin chute; where that actuator is intended to intercept and be moved by a nickel, it will be set to extend further into that chute; and where that actuator is intended to intercept and be moved by a dime, it will be set to extend still further into that chute. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an actuafor that can be set at different positions transversely of the axis of the rotatable shaftof a switch, and thereby be caused to extend different distances into the coin chute. The rotatable shaft of the switch is circular in cross section, and the actuator has a plurality of spaced apart and relative to the coin chute.

object of the present invention to provide an actuator for a coin switch which can be readily assembled with the rotatable shaft of that switch and which will, when so assembled, be precisely poistioned relative to the coin chute.

In some instances, operators of vending machines wish -can be used regardless of changes in the prices charged for the product or service being vended. It is therefore an object ofthe present invention to provide a switch actuator that can be used regardless of changes in the prices charged for the product or service being vended.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the actuator can be used to intercept and be moved by. a nickel, a dime or a quarter. This means that the operator of a vending machine equipped with a switch that utilizes the actuator of the present invention can select a five cent, ten cent or twenty-five cent sales price without any need of replacing the switch or its actuator.

The actuator provided by the present invention is held within a slot in the rotatable shaft of the switch, and that actuator can be set at different 'poistions transversely of Such replacement is frequently ex the axis of thatshaft and thereby be caused to extend by coins of different diameters. For example where the:

actuator is intended to intercept and be moved by. a

quarter, it will be set so it does not extend very far into The fact that, the switch actuator can be intercepted and moved by a plurality of different coins isalso desirable because it reduces. the cost of. manufacturing .coinhandling devices. Instead of having .to manufacture and stock a number of individually different switch actuators, the manufacturer can make and stock just -the one actuator. Further, .the' assembler does not have to pick and choose actuators frorn'idiiferent bins o'r baskets; instead he. need. only 'pick up one type of actuator, regardless of the size of.coin to be accommodated. l V

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention should become apparent from an examination of the drawing and accompanying description.

In the drawing and accompanying description a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and described but it is to be understoodthat the drawing and accompanying description are for the purpose of illustration only and do not limit the invention and that the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 isa side elevational view of one form of switch and one form of actuator .that aremade in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a' plan view of the switch and actuator of i Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a side elevational View of the switch and actuator of- Figs. 1 and 2 after the switch actuator has been set to accommodate a larger diameter coin,

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the switch and actuator of Figs. 1-3 after the switch actuator has been set to accommodate a still larger coin,

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view, on a larger scale, of a portion of the switch and switch actuator of Figs. 1-4, and

' Fig. 6 is a sectional view, on said larger scale, taken along the plane indicated by the line '66 in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral 10 generally denotes a mounting bracket for a coin-actuated switch. That bracket includes a generally square, vertically directed wall 12. A forwardly extending, verti- "cally directed wall 14 is disposed at the right-hand edge a ways, but it will preferably be made by bending a flat piece of metal into the configuration shownby the drawing. The left-hand edge of the wall 20 will abut the wall 14, as shown; and the walls 20 and 14 can be $8.- cured together by forming slotsin the wall 14, and by forming project-ions on the left-hand edge of wall; 20, that extend into those slots. The walls 14 and' 20" could. also be secured together by brazing, soldering or other methods known to the art.

An arcuate slot 22 is provided in the wall 16; and the geometric center of that slotis located adjacent the upper left-hand corner of the wall} 1-2 of mounting bracket 10. A similar arcuate slot 2 4-is providedin the rear'wall' 20; and the slots 22 and 24 are in register'witheachother.

The numeral 26 denotes a small enclosed electrical switch, and the housing for that switch has openings:' through it which receive bolts 28. Those bolts extend through the openings in the housing for switch 26' and also extend throughopenings in the generally square wall 12. Nuts 30 are threaded onto the projecting ends of the bolts 28 to fixedly secure the switch 26 to the mounting bracket 10.

The switch 26 has a rotatable shaft 32; and when that shaft is in the normal position shown in Fig. 5, two contacts, not shown, of that switch Will bespaced apart. A suitable spring,- not shown; is provided within the housing of switch 26 to normally hold those contacts apart. When the. shaft 32 is rotated in the clockwisedirection approximately thirty five degrees, the two nor mally open contacts will be closed. to complete a circuit between, two terminals, not shown, of the. switch. When the; Shaft 32 is: permitted'to return to its-.initialposition, the, spring: within; the: switch housing will reopen the twonormally Qpencontacts; The switch=26is al standard commercially available: switch and-is;no,t; per; se', a- P r f hep' esentinv ntion.

The: rotatable shaft 320i; he; switch 26 has a slot-34. formed in theouter end thereof; and. that slot. is coincident with a: diameter; of the, shaft: 32; This slot accommodates part of the switch actuator for.- the switch 26.

A flanged sleeve 36; is provided'for; the;rotatable,shaft 32; and the sleevedikqportion thercofis; large;enough, to telescope freely overthat: shaft, The flange; portion of the flanged sleeve 36 projects radially; outwardly from they sleeve-like portion and also projects radiallyoutar ly f ft u peui s, n t; how s provided in the sleeve-likeportion' of; the, flanged sleeve 36, and that opening will be alined with a diametricopening through the: shaft-32, A pin-3 8,canybe passed through the openings in the flanged sleeve 36 and in the shaft 32 to lock that flanged sleeve and; shaft together for, conjoint rotation. Asindicated particularlyby F-ig.-, 6, the flange portion of the fiangedsleeve 3 6 is.in 1inediately adjacent the. inner end of the slot 34, in. the shaft 32 whenever that flanged sleeve is. pinned; to the shaft 32 by the pin 38. The slot 34. and the flange portion; of the flanged sleeve.36,th,us; are enabled. to hold a switch actuator in a planewhichds perpendicular to-the axisof. the shaft 32;

The numeral 40 generally denotestheactuator for the switch 26. That actuator is preferably made, from. a. length of heavy piano wire whichis bent tohave the desired configuration. That actuator has astraightportion 42' that is smallenough indiameter, to fit into. the, slot 34 inthe shaft 32, One, end; of thestr aightporti nt 42 is free, but theother end mergesinto a roundedgend 44 f the s it a tuator 40; The punded endfitqcuw stitutes a reentrant bend" for theswitchac or; 4.0,. a it makes one end of that switch actuatorgene U-shaped. A semi-circular offset 46' is; provided, illi hi i.

portion of the switch actuator 40 which is oppositethe straight portion 42. semicircular offsets 48 saaso are;

alsoprovided in that section of that switchactpator, and; those offsets are spaced from theoffset 46v and from each other. A horizontal oifset 52 is provided in the switch actuator 40, and that offset is disposed to the'right of the semi-circular offset 5,0 of that actuator. The actuator 40 has a coin-receiving portion 54, and that coinreceiving portion extends rearwardly of the switch actuator and extends through the slots 22 and 24.

The switch actuator 40: is made so the semi-circular offsets 46, 48 and 50, are, complementary to part of the periphery of the shaft 32', as indicated particularly by Fig 5, Further, the switch actuator is; dimensioned so the coin-receiving portion 54: thereof is adjacent: the left-hand sides of the slots 22 and 24 when the semicircular offset, 50-is in engagement with the. shaft 32, so

' the coin-receiving portion 54 is adjacent the centers of the slots 22 and 24 when the semi-circular offset 48 is in engagement with the shaft 32, and so the coin-receiving portion 54 is adjacent the right-hand edges of the slots 22 and 24 when the semi-circular offset 46 is in engagement with the shaft 32. This arrangement is desirable because it. makes it possible to set the coin-receiving por-, tion 54 of the switch actuator 40 at various positions: relative to. the slots 22 and 24 inthe walls 16 and 20. The switch actuator 40- is carefully dimensioned, relative to the mounting bracket 10, so the engagement be tween the semi-circular offsets 46, 48 and 50- and' theshaft 32 precisely positions the coin-receiving portion 54 of that actuator relative to the slots 22 and 24.

The numeral 56 denotes agenerally circular disc of springy' metal with a central opening and with resilientfingers; contiguous with that opening; The resilient fingers of that disc extend inwardly toward the geometric center of that disc-and are spaced apart a distance less: than-the diameteroftheshaft- 32; However, those fingersare flexible: and resilient, and they can yield topermit;

the disc to be telescoped over the outer end ofthe Shaft: 32; When-the disc 56- is; telescoped' over the. outer end of the: shaft 32; thosefingers bend outwardly; as, shown particularly by Fig.- 6-. Those fingers have sharp edges, andthose sharp edges resist accidental separation of that disc from. the shaft- 32; and hence the disc; 56serves as a keeper. The fingersof disc 56 can, however, be pried upto permit that disc: tobe separated from that shaft.

Aslong. as thekceper 56.is in position on the shaft 32, it will coact with the flange portion of the flanged sleeve; 36', to; confine the switch actuator 40 against accidental sepa at n tem, he shaft li w n. that per. ll; not; pre nt; m vement f: at w tch ua or; ra ly of the slot 34,in.the shaft; 1.. n. P21 9133 he Kasper. 6w l ho d. he. w t actu tor 0.. n; s e b rela on, w th; the sha t bu l; P r it that switch. ac at r to be rnoved laterallyof thatshaft to place the semi-circular. offset- 46, thesemi circular offset 48 orthesemi cireularz offs t. 0- ne g s mcn th he sh ft Toincorporate theswitch actuator. of the present inven tion. into a coimhandling device, the assembler on the production line checks his work. ticket to determine whether the mounting. bracket 10 is intended to accommodate a nickel, a dimeor, aquarter, If a dime is to be. accommodated, the assembler will set the. switch actuator, 40 with 'its semi-circular: offset 46 in engagement with the rotatable shaft 32 and will then telescope the keeper 56 over the; outer. end; of that shaft. If, on the. other hand, the work ticket. calls for the. mounting bracket to;accomrnod ate .a nickel, the assembler will set. the. switch, actuator 4Q with its semi-circular offset 48 in engagement with, the shaft 32 and will then, telescope he. e n r; 5. ov r. h ute end. of. hatsha t. f. the w rk. ic et: alls o he a eut cs ra ket. 10. o 3 2. .11 mpdate. quer s, h sem ler mou t. he. s tch. c uato 1;! h Shaft 3 t 1 t. .semi-ci cu o s t. .11 m.- enga men w th. hat. aft and i l. hen. elescope hekcepcrfifi rhe ut tendct ha shah...

' he. q ny anrl ne dev ce. t the mo nt n hracket, 1,0. a ds c 26 8 nt ssr ice a he field:

to as a slug rejector, and then enter the coin chute defined by the walls 14, 16, 18 and 20. Those coins will be intercepted by the coin-receiving portion 54 of the switch actuator 40, and will move that portion downwardly; rotating the shaft 32 in the clockwise direction and closing the normally open contacts, not shown, of that switch. The coins will continue to pass downwardly through the coin chute and will free the coin-receiving portion 54 for return to its initial, upper position, thereby permitting the normally open contacts of switch 26 to reopen. The resulting pulse from the switch 26 can -start the vending machine.

If the operator of the vending machine decides to change the price of the product or service being vended, he need only shift the switch actuator 40 relative to the shaft 32. 'The easiest way of doing that is to pushv on the right-hand end of the straight portion 42 when the actuator 40 is to be shifted to the left and to push on the reentrant end 44 when the actuator 40 is to be shifted to the right. In this simple way, the operator of the vending machine can enable the mountingbracket 10, the switch 26 and the switch actuator to accommodate the differentcoins that will be introduced to meet the different price.

For example, if the vending rnachine was originally intended to dispense a product or service for five cents, and'the operator decided to increase the price to ten cents, he need only push on the reentrant end 44 of switch actuator 40 until the semi-circular offset 48 shifted out of engagement with shaft 32 and semi-circular offset 46 shifted into engagement with that shaft. If a higher priced product, as for example a twenty five cent product, was to be dispensed, the operator of the vending machine need only push on the free end of the straight portion of switch actuator 40 until the semi-circle offset 50 shifts into engagement with the shaft 32.

Whenever the switch actuator 40 is shifted relative to the shaft 32, the U-shaped portion of that switch actuator must open somewhat, because the normal spacing between the straight portion 42 and the opposite side of the switch actuator 40 is less than the radius of the shaft 32.

i The resilience of the switch actuator 40 is such, however,

that the said actuator can open to the desired extent and then return to its normal position. In returning to its normal position, the switch actuator 40 causes the semicircular oifset that is closest to the shaft 32 to apply .centering forces to the actuator 40. As a result, the switch actuator 49 automatically seats itself precisely on the shaft 32 whenever it is shifted to a new position relative to that shaft.

Whereas a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described in the drawing and accompanying description, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the form of the invention without affecting the scope thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a coin-actuated switch that has relatively movable contacts and a rotatable shaft and is mounted on a bracket, the improvement that comprises a diametric slot in said shaft opening to one end of said shaft, a flange on a flanged sleeve on said shaft that projects radially outwardly beyond the periphery of said shaft, said flange being adjacent the closed end of said diametric slot and defining a plane that is contiguous with said closed-"end of said slot, a switch actuator in the form of an elongated wire, said switch actuator having a straight portion disposable in but movable relative to said diametric slot and having a second portion spaced from said straight portion by a reentrant bend and having a plurality of semi-circular offsets in said second portion that are complementary to and selectively engageable with part of said periphery of said shaft and having a coin-receiving portion, said bracket having a coin chute therein and having a slot in the side of said chute to 6 accommodate said coin-receiving portion, said semi-cin cular offsets being spaced apart, and a retaining disc that telescopes" over said one end of said shaft and holds the first said and said second portions of said switch actuator against said closed end of saids lot and against said flange, respectively, one of said semi-circular offsets being en-' gageable with said part of said periphery of said shaft to dispose said coin-receiving portion at one side of saidslot and in the path of a coin of predetermined diameter, another ofsaid semi-circular offsets being engageable with said part of said periphery of said shaft to dispose said coin-receiving portion at the opposite side of said. slot and in the path of a coin of different predetermined diameter, said reentrant bend being openable to permit said second portion of said switch actuator to be moved relative to said part of said periphery of said shaft to dispose said one or said other send-circular offset in engagement with said part of said periphery of said shaft, said reentrant bend restoring itself to cause said one or said other semi-circular offset to precisely center itself on and thereafter hold itself adjacent said part of said periphery of said shaft.

2. .In a coin-actuated switch that has relatively movable contacts and a rotatable shaft, the improvement that comprises a-diametric slot in said shaft opening to one end of said, shaft, a flange on said shaft that projects radially outwardlyheyond the periphery of. said. shaft, said flange being adjacent the closed end of said diametric slot and defining a plane that is contiguous with said closed end of said slot, a switch actuator in the form of an elongated wire, said switch actuator having a straight portion disposable in but movable relative to said diametric slot and having a second portion spaced from said straight portion by a reentrant bend and having a plurality of semi-circular offsets in said second portion that are complementary to and selectively engageable with part of said periphery of said shaft and having a coinreceiving portion, said semicircular offsets being spaced apart, and a retaining disc that telescopes over said one end of said shaft and holds the first said and said second portions of said switch actuator against said closed end of said slot and against said flange, respectively, one of said semi-circular offsets being engageable with said part of said periphery of said shaftvto dispose said coinreceiving portion in the path of a coin of predetermined diameter, another of said semi-circular offsets being engageable with said part of said periphery of said shaft to dispose said coin-receiving portion in the path of a coin of different predetermined diameter.

3. In a coin-actuated switch that has a rotatable shaft, the improvement that comprises a diametric slot in said shaft opening to one end of said shaft, a flange on said shaft that projects radially outwardly beyond the periphery of said shaft, said flange being adjacent the closed end of said diametric slot and defining a plane that is contiguous with said closed end of said slot, a switch actuator in the form of an elongated wire, said switch actuator having a straight portion disposable in and movable relative to said diametric slot and having a second portion spaced from said straight portion by a reentrant bend and having a plurality of semi-circular offsets in said portion that are complementary to and selectively engageable with part of said periphery of said shaft and having a coin-receiving portion, said semi-circular offsets being spaced apart, and a keeper that holds the first said and'said second portions of said switch actuator against said closed end of said slot and against said flange, respectively.

4. In a coin-actuated switch that has a rotatable shaft, the improvement that comprises a slot in said shaft opening to one end of said shaft, a flange on said shaft that projects radially outwardly beyond the periphery of said shaft, said flange being adjacent the closed end of said slot, a switch actuator in the form of an elongated wire, said switch actuator having a straight portion disposable masters n. nd movab e. elative to, s id: si t. and ha ng a second portion, spaced; from said straight portion and, having a pluralityyof semi-circular offsets in said second, portion thatare complementary to and-selectively engageable with partof'said; periphery of said shaft: and having a coinreceiving portion, said. semicircular offsets. heingspaced apart, and a keeper that holds the; first said and saidisecs ond; port-ions. ofsaid switch actuator against. said closed end of. said slot and; against said flange,.respectively:.

5. In a coinractuatediswitch; that; has a. rotatable shaft; the improvement that: comprises a. passage through said shaft, a flange; on. said: shaft that: projects. radially out ward'ly beyond: the; periphery of, said; shaft, said flange being adjacent said passage, a switchactuation in. the form of an. elongated wirehaving a: straight portion, disposablein and movableirelative to said" passage and having a second portion: spacedv from said straightportion and having. a plurality of; offsets. in said second portion that are complementary to; and selectively engageable with part of said periphery ofsaidshaft and. having a coin-receiving portion,. said, offsets heingspaced apart;

- and a keeper that holds the firstsaid and: said second portions of said switch; actuator against said passage and against said flange, respectively;

6. In a coin-actuated switch that has a rotatable shaft, the; improvement that. comprisesv a passage through said shaft, and a switch actuator in the; form. of an elongated wir hav ng; a. portion disposa le in; and movable rel ti t said p ssage and. having a second. p rtion sp ed from the; first. said: portion. and haying a. p urali y of; off:- sets in. said, second portion. that are. selectivelyengageable with. part of said periphery of said shaft and; having a, coinrreceiving portion, said offsets; being; spaced; apart.

.7-.. Ilsa-1 coin-actuated. switch that has: a movable: elenzient',v the; improvement. that comprises a: passage; in said movable; element. and aswitcn actuator having a portion disposable in said passage and. having: a plurality of offsets; in. asecond portion: that are; selectively engageable with part of said shaft and having a coin-receiving portion, said. offsets. beings spaced apart, one: of saidoffsets being engageable: with said; part of? said shaft to dispose said. coin-receiving. portion in; the: path of a coinof predetermineddiameter, another of said offsets. beingengage-- table; with said part of said shaft to dispose said. coin receiving portion in; the? path of a. coin of different predetermined diameter:

Refer nc s Cited. in. file of this. patent. UNITED. SIAIES. PATENTS 710,123: Steam Sept. 30,- 1902 1,649,017 Burt Nov; 15; 1927 2,089,936 Ahlburg- Aug; 1 7, 1937 2,541,326 Nelson Feb; 1 3,. 195-1 Z, 640,5 l-5 Pianov June 2', 1953? 

